Mexico’s World Cup opener last week produced goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, but an unlikely figure has become the tournament’s early breakout star: a duck named Merlin.
Dressed in a green Mexico jersey, socks and sneakers, the 2-year-old duck wandered through celebrating crowds in Mexico City after the home team’s 2-0 victory over South Africa — drawing wide grins, photos and millions of social media views.
The images and associated memes spread worldwide, with fans dubbing him the “World Cup Duck,” or “El Pato Mundialista” in Spanish.
The owner was identified as a street vendor named Karla Ivette Gómez, referred to as Carla Gómez by some media outlets.
She told reporters she sells water and soft drinks in Mexico City’s historic center alongside her young son, Cristian, and that Merlin regularly accompanies them on the streets around the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Zócalo.
The duck’s calm presence among crowds is no accident.
“I tamed him. I taught him to follow us, first with a harness, so he’d get used to being out here,” Gómez said in an ESPN interview. “He was afraid of people, of busy streets and of the noise. Then he got used to it.”
Gómez said Merlin joined her family after a previous duck, Waffle, died. His diet includes duck feed, fruits and vegetables — plus once a week, a carnitas taco.
“A customer who already knew us gave us Merlin, because my son got very sad when he didn’t see his duck,” Gómez told ESPN.
Once Merlin’s clips went viral, FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, moved quickly, inviting duck and family to a photo and video shoot.
According to the AP, Merlin and Gómez met with FIFA representatives on Monday — seemingly elevating the streetside mascot into an officially embraced face (and feathers) of the 2026 World Cup.
However, FIFA hadn’t issued anything Merlin-related as of Tuesday morning, and Zayu the Jaguar will of course remain Mexico’s official World Cup mascot.
“We never imagined he’d become such a sensation,” Gómez said of Merlin. “We weren’t expecting it.”
So far, there’s been no indication that Merlin and family will travel to Guadalajara for Mexico’s next match, an important battle at 7 p.m. Thursday against South Korea for control of Group A. South Korea also won its first of three group-stage matches, overcoming Czechia 2-1 with a goal in the 80th minute.
“Mexico, we are with you,” Gómez said. “And Merlin is your No. 1 fan.”
With reports from Uno TV, EJE Central, ESPN Deportes and Associated Press
